Wichita eagle., 1887-11-12

The Benevolent w DIX OF the Brotner-
hood-Hospitality That Knows Neither
Race Nor Creed-A Look at the Dogs.
The CharneI House.
A moment later turning a bend in the gorge,
we saw the hospice Of Mount st. Bernard,
mass of cold gray stone against the purple
sky, unutteraybly lonely, weird, desolate
among those bald rocks, icebound cataracts
and snow capped mountains This was the
middle of summer, ana we were shlverLlS
from head to foot. What must it be IN WIN
ter The brotherhood consists Of about forty
members, the inmates of this monastery be
ing fifteen or twenty Augustine monks, most
of them under So Some looked nero boys.
After fifteen years of service the severity OF
tho climate undermines their constitutions,
ard they are compelled to descend to mllder
climates below Their Office is to receive and
lodge strangers gratujtously and to render
assistance to travellers in danger during the
snowy season, which here lasts about nine
months In>this work Of benevolence they
are aided by tie famous st. Bernard dogs,
whose keen sense of smell enables them to
track and discover travellers buried In the
snow, numbers of whom are rescued by these
noble animals.
Our first impression Of the hospice was Of
some ruined chateau. There were beggars
hanging on the outskirts and paupers gathered
about the arched doorway; young Italians
with packs on their backs, mountaineerS re-
turned from the hunt with guns and game
bags, guides, young Englishmen ''tramplnS
it" through the Alps, and wanderers Ike our
selves, all alike welcomed by the great glow
ing lantern which sheds its rays far into the
pass on either side. / was not astonished
when the young priest told me later that
often they have lodged COO strangers of
night under that hospitable roof
''Le Pere Joseph Luisier" was in charge.
Young, full of action, energy written in every
line OF the figure beneath the long black cas-
SOCK he came forward to meet US courteously.
Had he been a wealthy man of the world re-
ceiving invited guests to his own home, he
could not have welcomed us more graciously.
And yet, IS he did so, be had not an idea
where he should place us for the night Ho
asked Us to wait moment, and turned away,
rubbing his chin with a perplexed looked
He soon returned, running lightly down the
stone stairs. This quick step was character
istic of the man, as was also the rpeITieSt
laugh ever heard, with which he explained
his perplexjties. 1t had stor1ned the two pre-
ceding days; some Italian priests on their way
to Franco were spending few days Every
nook and corner was full, but these priests
had offered us their apartments and would
lodge with the brothers. Thus it was ar
ranged, and we found ourselves in the rooms
of honor, comfortably furnished, and with
beautiful st. Bernard dogskin rugs about tho
floors. They sent us dry shoes and stockings,
offered hot drinks, and right royalty received
the American strangers.
But the charm of all came later, when,
gathering around the flaming logs, listening
to the cracking Of pine cones the Pera
Luisier told us OF their winter life, the dreari-
ness of their lone vigils, the thrilling adveIv
lures OF their daily search for travellers, when
all the wayfarerS are poe, when cold is III
tense, the snow Of great depth, and the dam
gers from storms even threatening their
strong monastery. We Went TO our rooms
trembling with excitement and crept under
the elder down quilts, thankful that ours was
only twenty -four hours stay III this desc
late region
The Angelus Weakened us at 5 the following
morning, and we heard the monks chanting
their morning prayers. Later we found the
chapel open and mass being said. The Italian
priests were here gorgeous in scarlet and
white lace, and few poor wayfarers kneeled
On the prize deus telling their beads. 1t was
wonderfully solemn, and when one of the
brothers, having finished his celebration in a
side chapel, entered tho organ loft and the
deep tones of music filled the entire monastery,
l felt that his soul must indeed be satisfied,
bis life complete in the wonderful harmony
The vaulted corridors reverberated the
chords, and long after the chapel was empty
and mathis over, the young priest sat "a -
inspired, and we heard the music still as we
passed on down the path and crossed the
boundary into Italy, the limit between Swift
zerland and Italy being marked by the
two national shields cut into the rocks side
by side and above Roman column inscribed
with curious figures and signs. On the ad-
jacent Plaine de Jupiter once rose the temple
to Jupiter Poeninus, and later the Romans
erected hospice there, about 100 B. c., on
the site of which have boon found many very
beautiful coins and relics. This collection,
in the library of the hospice, well repaid tie
time we COVE to it, as did also the vellun
bound manuscripts and rare old books wc
found there
From here we went to pay our respects to
ing. The great awkward puppies-balls of
soft yellow and white fur-were rolling
about among the hay. The dogs have al
most Intelligent faces, great, soft eyes and
gentle manner. They looked as if they COM
pretended their mission in life and were
ready for it. Each knew his name and an |
swered TO it readily, crouching low beside |
his master or standing erect for service as |
!.
beasts
The last memory of St Bernard haunts us |
still little way from the hospice stands ,
a small stone building surnounted by cross
This is the morgue-the receptacle for bodies /
found in the snow. We supposed it TO be .
like other morgues we had seen, temporary
resting place for the unfortunates until /
decent burial might be given them, and .
urged by our guide TO visit the place we
turned from our path ;.~ oss the snow TO
enter when, TO our hol f1r, we found tho
place literally paved with human bones; and /
there, in their dark, cold cells they stood
erect, CHASTITY frozen creature. Just as they
had been found, their earthly belongings
still clinginS to them-the cold Of winter and
the heat OF summer alike impotent to alter
their last rigid smile, till time in the centu-
ries to come viii turn them back to dust,
like those of their fellows beneath their feet
the dust Of mortality-fine as the finest pow
der, light almost as air We shuddered as
We turned away. 1t is so uncanny to keep
them there unburied.-Cor. Few York Sun
The Bostonians are fond Of odd novelties of
The table. A favorite dessert Of theirs is TO
hollow cut q block of ice and place within
cubes of muskmelon- 1t is cut up in the
placed in the ice, covered with a
block Of ice and served at 8 o'clock dinner.
Over this frozen melon is sprinkled sherry